PEORIA — Jim Ardis' State of the City address Tuesday was eight single-spaced pages and about 40 minutes in length. But a simple lapel button might have crystallized key aspects of the Peoria mayor's annual speech.

That button featured the word "NO" encased by the universal "no" symbol — a red circle and slash.

Ardis and other city officials would like to turn that double negative into a positive, particularly regarding economic growth.

"I think there's a certain perception that City Hall is a difficult place to do business," City Manager Patrick Urich said following Ardis' noon-hour presentation at the Peoria Civic Center.

"This isn't about saying yes right away but it's about how we could work toward getting it to yes and getting to that solution and having that end in mind. That's a different framework from simply looking at a rule book and saying no. I think that's a powerful message to have."

Ardis told a crowd of about 600 he gave Urich a bag of buttons to distribute around City Hall.

"I believe this simple reminder to look for positive solutions will enhance the development process going forward," Ardis said.

Creation later this year of a downtown development commission appears to be part of that process.

Such a not-for-profit group is to assist businesses in finding and facilitating development opportunities in Downtown Peoria and the Warehouse District. That would include serving as a liaison between developers and city officials regarding regulatory and financing issues.

According to Ardis, Peoria might be the largest community in the country that doesn't have a downtown development commission.

"Having a singular focus towards fostering the growth and promotion of the central business district is critical for any major metropolitan area," Urich said. "I think that's the key benefit a DDC can bring to the table."

The city has budgeted $100,000 this year and next for the DDC, Urich said. Private fundraising also is underway. Last month, the Downtown Advisory Commission reviewed the group's proposed bylaws.

According to those, the 15 board members are to include three city appointees, two appointed by Caterpillar Inc. and one each from Peoria County, UnityPoint Health and OSF Healthcare. Other board members are to come from the finance, service, retail, hospitality and real estate realms.

The DDC is not a function of city government, according to Ardis.

"An autonomous organization like this does have a much easier time talking to potential private investors and developers than going through the city bureaucracy," the mayor said.

The economic development chords and other ones Ardis struck in his address appeared to appeal to at least one observer who has worked with him on municipal business.

"He's encouraged and excited about the future, and I think there's a lot of potential and opportunity as we look forward in the community," said Rick Zehr, president of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. "There's a lot of heartfelt vision."

Page 2 of 2 - Nick Vlahos can be reached at 686-3285 or nvlahos@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @VlahosNick.